Sauber sign Marcus Ericsson for 2015

Sauber have announced that Marcus Ericsson will race for the team in 2015, though the team hasn't made clear whether the Swede will replace Esteban Gutierrez of Adrian Sutil next year.

“We are pleased to announce this co-operation," said Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn. "We have got to know Marcus as a highly motivated driver. He did not have an easy rookie season this year in Formula One, however, he kept calm and improved continuously, mainly in the last races. We are convinced that signing Marcus can give the team a fresh impetus.”

Ericsson, nominally still a driver for Caterham, is in Austin this weekend working for Swedish television, and commented: “Fresh from a very turbulent week, I was suddenly given my best early Christmas present ever. The Sauber F1 Team has put its trust in me for 2015, and it makes me proud, as Sauber is known to be one of the best teams in developing young drivers. It will be a great challenge. I will give my very best to develop both as a driver, and to be part of the challenge to put  Sauber back closer to the front, where it belongs.”

The Swiss team said it will announce its second 2015 "at a later date", though the choice looks far from easy with both Gutierrez and Sutil believed to come with sizeable funding. earlier today, Sutil gave Sauber its first top 10 qualifying result of the year with 10th-place in the session. That's set to become a ninth-placed start when Jenson  Button, who qualified seventh, takes a five-place drop for a gearbox change. The result represents the team's best chance yet of scoring points and overhauling Marussia, who are absent from Austin, in the Constructors' Championship battle.